Mike tried the spell again. “Mea voluntate, videtur mihi quod postulo, Kaviel pulverulenta inferorum regnum octovo daemon, veni ad me in toto animo et vana gloria, ut –”
It didn’t feel right, so he stopped it. The spell, of course, began with more than that. It began with an invocation to God to bless this working and then a summoning of Kaviel. He turned back to the paper. His will could only go so far, and it covered mostly mundane things, like summoning items to him.
He didn’t dare say that he couldn’t summon new demons and angels anymore without the backing of the gods. He had his pacts with his other demons, but if he wanted the windows washed, he couldn’t ask for a demon of soap and water to come and do it. He could still summon the zombies from the bones in the area. So he wasn’t totally weakened.
Mike scratched at his spiked hair. He had been at this for too long and needed a break. Maybe a trip to the moon base was in order. He should check to make sure nobody destroyed the place. He used the teleporting area in the library and went up to the base.
He thought he could hear heavy breathing. He looked confused for a minute and quietly stepped inside. The doors slid closed, and the breathing stopped, holding.
“No,” said a man’s voice, just above him. “No, do not stop.”
“Someone’s here,” came Kelvin’s voice.
“Hello!” called Grim, stepping out to the spinning globe. He turned around to see a man leaning back against the railing, and Kelvin leaning against him. The man looked a little like Mal. “Oh, Christ, Mal.” He laughed.
The man turned around. He had the white hair of Malcolm, and ice blue eyes, but he noticed the man was built smaller, more compact, and much more pale than Malcolm. Plus, he didn’t exude the sexuality that Mal did as he moved, though the man did move with grace as he stepped aside to show Kelvin. His hand dropped and took Kelvin’s hand, entwining their fingers in his strong hand. Mike could see the bulge in Kelvin’s jeans from that mere movement. “Who is this,” the man said, his voice like thunder. He glared at Mike.
“This is Grimaulkin. He’s our leader,” said Kelvin, blushing.
“Take it easy, man,” said Grim with a wave of his hand. “You can get back to what you were doing.”
Kelvin blushed even more, and the man turned to Kelvin. “I believe you were looking for somewhere more private,” the man said to Kelvin.
Grim laughed again. “I’ll just mosey on over to the other side here…”
The man and Kelvin walked along the edge and met Mike at the top of the stairs. The man looked Mike over, studying him. Mike did the same thing, and muttered a spell to See – and he was blinded initially. He stepped back, shielding his eyes, as the man had turned into a bright light with broad, disembodied wings. He dismissed the spell, and the man held onto Kelvin’s hand tightly.
“What’s wrong?” Kelvin asked, going over to Mike.
The man pulled Kelvin close to himself. “He is a necromancer,” the man said, a tinge of anger to his voice.
“Yeah, well, who are you to judge, fallen?” Mike said, regaining his feet.
“Fallen?” Kelvin looked from Mike to the man. “He knows your name.”
“He knows the names of the angels,” said Fallen, turning to Mike. “What is my name?”
“How the hell should I know?” Mike said.
Fallen approached Mike. “You will tell me my name.”
“I don’t know you,” said Mike, backing away. Fallen did not let go of Kelvin, but stopped when he reached the end of his tether with Kelvin.
He looked at Kelvin, then back at Mike. “For the love I bear this boy, you will tell me my name.”
“I don’t know it, I’m telling you!”
Kelvin tugged Fallen’s arm. “He doesn’t know. He’s not lying.”
Fallen’s gaze flicked over Mike. “I know he does not know now, but he will.”
So they stood there, silently gazing at each other, until Kelvin tugged on Fallen’s hand. “Fallen?”
He looked down, turned back to Kelvin. His sigh seemed to shake through his body, as his shoulders hunched forward. He took Kelvin’s hand in both of his. “I am so close to glory,” he said quietly. “So close to God.”
Mike snorted.
Fallen whirled, his blue eyes blazing white now with hot fury. “Not any closer than you, necromancer!”
“That’s just my problem,” said Mike, as he started toward his other workshop. “I’m too close to the gods.” The doors slid closed behind him.
Fallen took a breath, still holding Kelvin’s hand. “I am sorry, Kelvin.”
“You’re a fallen angel, I knew that,” said Kelvin. “But you’re not a demon.”
“I wish to grow close to God again.” He kissed Kelvin’s hand. “You will help me?”
“Of course,” said Kelvin, as his free hand reached up and caressed Fallen’s face. “Anything for you.”
((A thorn defends the rose, harming only those who would steal the blossom – writing prompt))